The island of Borneo is synonymous with raw, unspoiled nature and Brunei, situated in its heart, is a shining example of natural beauty. More than 70% of Brunei’s land area is covered by primary rainforests, which the government has taken great strides to protect. The Government of Brunei has acted to conserve some 32,000 hectares as forest reserves and allocated 50,000 hectares for national parks which are some of the finest in Asia. Mangroves, natural hatcheries of marine life, are also plentiful and unspoiled and house abundant forms of plant and animal life unique to Borneo. But perhaps Brunei’s most distinctive advantage is that all of its natural attractions are within easy reach of the contemporary luxuries of the capital, meaning that you never have to sacrifice comfort to enjoy untamed wilderness.

Nature lovers will definitely be spoiled in Brunei. Pristine rainforests, unspoiled coral reefs, mangrove-covered islands, white sand beaches and accessible nature reserves offer visitors a dazzling array of ecotourism options. In Brunei, visitors can have the unique opportunity to walk in the rainforest canopy which houses an abundance of birds, plants, micro fauna and mammals, such as the rare Bornean proboscis monkey, making up one of the world’s richest and most diverse ecosystems. They can also stroll around the hauntingly beautiful lakeside walkways of Tasek Merimbun or relax on the turquoise shores of Muara beach without the crowds of other Asian destinations.

Brunei is also home to some of Asia’s best nature reserves and field study centres, such as the world famous Ulu Temburong National Park and the Kuala Belalong Field Study Centre, both of which offer an exciting array of ecotourism and adventure activities. Indeed, the longboat ride down a winding jungle river, surrounded on all sides by pristine rainforest makes the journey as much of an adventure as the destination itself. With few tourists around, nature lovers will appreciate having this untouched paradise all to themselves and may explore at their own pace, returning to lodgings in the capital when they have completed their visit, or staying in more primitive forest lodgings nearby. Furthermore, with Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan next door, they can spend weeks uncovering Borneo’s magnificent natural beauty, using Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan as a gateway.